Pull-out guide for a washing appliance, and washing appliance

ABSTRACT

A pull-out guide has a first inner rail, a first outer rail mounted on the first inner rail a second inner rail secured on the first outer rail, and a second outer rail mounted on the second inner rail and on which a rack can be fastened. The first inner rail, the first outer rail, the second inner rail and the second outer rail are arranged vertically one above the other. The outer rails are designed in the form of hollow profiles with an accommodating region, which is partially open in the direction of the side wall and of the respective inner rail and is intended for accommodating the respective inner rail. The outer surfaces of the inner rails and the inner surfaces of the outer rails are in the form of run-off surfaces for preventing washing fluid which is used during operation of the washing appliance from being deposited.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a U.S. nationalization under 35 U.S.C. § 371 of International Application No. PCT/EP2016/063152, filed Jun. 9, 2016, which claims priority to German Application No. 102015109220.4 filed Jun. 10, 2015.

BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE

The present disclosure relates to a pull-out guide for a washing appliance, for example, a dishwasher, as well as a washing appliance.

A generic pull-out guide for a washing appliance of this kind, for example, a dishwasher, is known, for example, from EP 1 552 781 B1. Such a pull-out guide consists essentially of a first rail which can be fastened to a side wall of a washing chamber, a second rail which can be fastened to the rack and an intermediate rail connecting the two rails to enable a full extension.

In order to avoid the sluggishness of such a pull-out guide due to soiling, in particular in the region of the sliding guide surfaces of the rails which can be moved relative to each other, which can necessarily occur in the washing chamber of such a washing appliance, the rails of the pull-out guide of EP 1 552 781 B1 are provided with passage openings in order to enable rinsing of the pull-out guide with rinsing fluid and to thus flush out again the rinsing fluid and/or dirt particles such as food residues or the like from the pull-out guide during the operation of the washing appliance. Provided that not all areas of the pull-out guide are reached during the rinsing, soiling can still occur which can impair the functionality of the pull-out guide.

A pull-out guide according to the present disclosure for a washing appliance for pulling out a rack from a washing chamber of the washing appliance has a first inner rail which can be mounted on a side wall of the washing chamber, a first outer rail which is mounted on the first inner rail such that it can be displaced in a displacement direction, a second inner rail which is secured on the first outer rail, and a second outer rail which is mounted in a displaceable manner on the second inner rail and on which the rack can be fastened. The first inner rail, the first outer rail, the second inner rail and the second outer rail are arranged vertically one above the other. The outer rails are designed in the form of hollow profiles with an accommodating region, which is partially open in the direction of the side wall and the respective inner rail, and is intended for accommodating the respective inner rail. The outer surfaces of the inner rails and the inner surfaces of the outer rails, the inner surfaces being directed towards the inner rails, are in the form of run-off surfaces, for preventing washing fluid which is used during operation of the washing appliance from being deposited.

In contrast to the aforementioned EP 1 552 781 B1, penetration of washing fluid into the interior of the pull-out guide is largely prevented by means of a pull-out guide designed in this way.

The shaping according to the disclosure of the outer surfaces of the inner rails and of the inner surfaces of the outer rails facing the inner rails as run-off surfaces also ensures that any washing fluid penetrating into the pull-out guide cannot accumulate in the interior of the pull-out guide since no grooves or the like are formed in the interior of the pull-out guide.

The aforementioned outer surfaces of the inner rails as well as the inner surfaces of the outer rails facing the inner rails are all oriented in such a way that washing fluid impinging thereon can run off from them due to gravity.

According to one embodiment, at least one rolling element cage with rolling elements mounted therein is arranged between one of the respective inner rails and one of the respective outer rails, which promotes reliable and easy movement of the inner rails and outer rails relative to each other.

According to a further embodiment, the inner rails have a raceway section and a fastening and shielding section. The shielding section of the fastening and shielding section of at least one of the inner rails is at least partially formed as an inclined surface which is inclined towards the side wall of the washing chamber, as a result of which additional shielding of the running surfaces of the raceway section is ensured.

According to a further embodiment, the outer rails are designed, on a side facing the washing chamber in the assembled state, to shield the respective inner rails from fluid entry.

In particular, a lower free end of a wall of the outer rail facing the washing chamber is formed in this case to be bent from a vertical by a maximum of 90° in the direction of the fastening and shielding section of the respective inner rail.

In an embodiment, the foregoing angle is less than 90°. By bending no more than 90°, it is possible that no channel is formed in the interior of the hollow profile of the outer rail in which washing fluid and/or other dirt can accumulate.

According to a further embodiment, the fastening and shielding section of the first inner rail is designed as an orifice-free piece of sheet metal for shielding the running rail section of the first inner rail arranged vertically above.

In this way, injection of washing fluid by spray nozzles directed upwards below the pull-out guide may be prevented.

According to a further embodiment, the second inner rail is fixed to the first outer rail, in particular welded, glued or screwed thereon, which makes possible simple assembly of the pull-out guide and a stable construction of the pull-out guide.

The length of the inner rails, according to a further embodiment, is between 50% and 75% of the length of the outer rails. Such a ratio of the lengths of the inner rails to those of the outer rails is sufficient to ensure a full extension, while at the same time saving material on rail material.

According to a further preferred embodiment, three rolling elements are arranged in the rolling element cage in a plane orthogonally to the displacement direction.

In particular, the raceway section of the inner rails has at least three raceways, in each of which one of the rolling elements is guided, wherein the rolling elements are arranged in the plane orthogonally to the displacement direction in respective quadrants of the hollow space formed from inner rails and outer rails, wherein no rolling element is used in a bottom quadrant which is close to the side wall of the washing chamber.

A pull-out guide designed in this manner has the advantage that fewer rolling elements may be used, which is accompanied by savings in material and costs.

A washing appliance according to the disclosure, in particular a dishwasher with at least one rack which is fixed to side walls of a washing chamber with a pull-out guide and with which the rack can be extended from and retracted into the washing chamber, is characterized by a pull-out guide as described above.

In an advantageous embodiment, at least two spacers or spacings are arranged on the respective side walls of the washing chamber of the washing appliance, on which the first inner rail is fixed.

In an embodiment, a passage for the outflow of washing fluid into a lower region of the washing chamber is provided between the spacers or the spacings, the side wall and the first inner rail, which enables the discharge of a washing fluid sprayed above the pull-out guide in the direction of the side walls of the washing chamber behind the pull-out guides, as seen from the washing chamber centre.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a sectional view through an embodiment variant of a pull-out guide according to the invention,

FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of an embodiment variant of a pull-out guide according to the invention in the inserted state,

FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of the pull-out guide shown in FIG. 2 in the extended state,

FIG. 4 shows a perspective view of a pull-out guide fastened to a side wall of a washing chamber of a washing appliance,

FIG. 5 shows a perspective view of the pull-out guide shown in FIG. 4, which is fixed in the washing appliance,

FIG. 6 shows a perspective view corresponding to FIG. 4 of the pull-out guide fastened in the washing appliance in the extended state,

FIG. 7 shows a perspective view corresponding to FIG. 5 of the pull-out guide fastened in the washing appliance with the rack pulled out of the washing chamber,

FIG. 8 shows a perspective view of an embodiment variant of the pull-out guide with the rack fixed thereto in the retracted state, and

FIG. 9 shows a perspective view corresponding to FIG. 8 of the pull-out guide with the rack attached thereto in the extended state of the pull-out guide.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the following description of the drawings, terms such as up, down, left, right, front, back, etc. relate to the exemplary representation shown in the respective drawings and the position of the pull-out guide, the inner rail, the outer rail, the rack, the washing chamber and the like. These terms are not to be understood as limiting, i.e. by means of different working positions or the mirror-symmetrical design or the like, these relationships can change.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 5 designates in its entirety an embodiment of a pull-out guide according to the present disclosure for a washing appliance 1, preferably a dishwasher. A pull-out guide 5 of this kind is used for pulling out a rack 4 from a washing chamber 2 of the washing appliance 1, as is shown by way of example in FIG. 5.

The pull-out guide 5 has a first inner rail 6 which can be mounted on a side wall 3 of the washing chamber 2. On this first inner rail 6, a first outer rail 7, which is displaceable in a displacement direction X, is mounted by means of rolling elements 11.

To enable the rack 4 to be fully extended, the pull-out guide 5 furthermore has a second inner rail 8 fixed to the first outer rail 7. This inner rail 8 is fixed in this case on an outer side 73 of the first outer rail 7, for example welded, glued or screwed.

A second outer rail 9 is displaceably mounted on this second inner rail 8 by means of rolling elements 11. The rack 4 can be attached directly or indirectly to this second outer rail 9, as is shown, for example, in FIG. 5, 8 or 9.

The first inner rail 6, the first outer rail 7, the second inner rail 8 and the second outer rail 9 are arranged in this case vertically one above the other, as can be clearly seen in FIG. 1.

The outer rails 7, 9 are designed as hollow profiles with an accommodating region 72, 92 which is partially open to the side wall 3 and to the respective inner rail 6, 8 for accommodating a respective inner rail 6, 8. The positioning of this accommodating region 72, 92 of the outer rails 7, 9 mitigates injection of washing fluid into the interior region of the hollow profiles of the outer rails 7, 9, since the accommodating region 72, 92 is protected by respective fastening and shielding sections 61, 81 of the inner rails 6, 8.

In this case, the inner rails 6, 8 consist of a raceway section 62, 82 which is accommodated in the outer rails 7, 9, as well as the above-mentioned fastening and shielding section 61, 81, which on the one hand is used for fastening the first inner rail 6 to the side wall 3 of the washing chamber 2 or for fastening the second inner rail 8 to the first outer rail 7, and on the other hand for shielding against the injection of washing fluid into the interior of the hollow profiles of the outer rails 7, 9.

The washing fluid may consist of water mixed with a cleaning agent.

As is further shown in FIG. 1 in closer detail, the outer surfaces 63, 83 of the inner rails 6, 8 and the inner surfaces of the outer rails 7, 9 facing the inner rails 6, 8 are designed as run-off surfaces in order to mitigate the accumulation of washing fluid used during operation of the washing appliance 1.

For smooth guidance, at least one rolling element cage 10 with rolling elements mounted therein is arranged between the first inner rail 6 and the first outer rail 7 as well as between the second inner rail 8 and the second outer rail 9.

In the embodiment shown here, three respective rolling elements 11 are arranged in the rolling element cage 10 in a plane orthogonally to the displacement direction X.

Correspondingly, the raceway section 62, 82 of the inner rails 6, 8 has at least three raceways, in each of which one of the rolling elements 11 is guided, wherein, in the plane orthogonally to the displacement direction X, the rolling elements 11 are arranged in the respective quadrant of the hollow space formed from the inner rails 6, 8 and the outer rails 7, 9. In this case, no rolling element 11 is used in a lower quadrant close to the side wall 3 of the washing chamber 2.

However, the use of rolling element cages with four rolling elements in a plane orthogonally to the displacement direction X of the outer rails 7, 9 is also conceivable.

As is shown in FIG. 2, the pull-out guide 5 is completely closed except for a narrow slot between the two outer rails 7 and 9 towards the centre of the washing chamber 2, so that penetration of washing fluid into the regions of the raceway sections 62, 82 within the hollow profiles of the outer rails 7, 9, which regions are necessary for the smooth guidance of the outer rails 7, 9 and inner rails 6, 8 with respect to each other, is substantially prevented.

A part of the raceway sections 62, 82 of the inner rails 6, 8 is not exposed until the pull-out guide has been pulled out, as shown in FIG. 3.

Towards the front of the washing appliance 1, the pull-out guide 5 is closed with a stopper 13 in order to prevent the washing fluid from penetrating from the front end of the pull-out guide 5.

The retracted position of the pull-out guide 5, in the condition mounted on the side wall 3 in the washing chamber 2 of the washing device 1, is shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. In the washing chamber 2 of the washing appliance 1, a plurality of spraying arms 14 with hoses extending in the cavity of these spraying arms 14 are usually arranged for transporting the washing fluid. In the operation of the washing appliance 1, the washing fluid exits into the washing chamber 2 through nozzles 15 connected to the hoses in order to clean the items to be washed in the rack 4, which are held, for example, in a wire basket.

FIGS. 6 and 7 respectively show the pull-out guide 5 in an extended position.

FIGS. 8 and 9 show, once again, in a perspective illustration, a rack 4 designed as a wire mesh/basket with pull-out guide 5 fastened thereto, once in the retracted position (FIG. 8), in which the rack 4 is located in the washing chamber 2 of the washing appliance 1, and once in the extended position of the pull-out guide (FIG. 9), in which the rack 4 has been completely extended from the washing chamber 2.

As can be seen clearly in FIGS. 8 and 9, the rack 4 is connected to the pull-out guide 5 via an adapter piece 16 fixed to the second outer rail 9.

For this purpose, a fixing element 94, for example in the form of a clamping web, is arranged on the outer side surface of the second outer rail 9 facing the centre of the washing chamber 2, especially projecting from a side surface of the second outer rail 9. For attaching the pull-out guide 5 to the side wall 3 of the washing chamber 2 of the washing appliance 1, at least two spacers 12 or spacings, on which the first inner rail 6 is fixed, are arranged on respective side walls 3 of the flushing chamber 2.

As can be seen, for example, in FIG. 4, a passage for the discharge of washing fluid into a lower region of the washing chamber 2 is provided between the spacers 12 or the spacings of the side wall 3 and the first inner rail 6. In this case, the spacings can be designed as bulges of the side wall 3 protruding into the washing chamber 2.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 4, the spacers 12 have receptacles 16, in which the fastening and shielding section 61 of the first inner rail 6 can be inserted or clamped.

The fastening and shielding section 61 of the first inner rail 6 may be designed as an orifice-free piece of sheet metal, for shielding the upper raceway section 62 of the first inner rail 6 which is arranged vertically at the top.

The length of the inner rails 6, 8 is only between 50 and 75% of the length of the outer rails 7, 9 in order to ensure a full extension with the smallest possible use of the material.

As shown especially well in FIG. 1, the region of the fastening and shielding section 61, 81 of the second inner rail 8 of at least one of the inner rails 6, 8 is formed at least partly as an inclined surface 84 which is inclined towards the side wall 3, which in FIG. 1 is the region of the fastening and shielding section 81 of the second inner rail 8. It is also conceivable to form the fastening and shielding section 61 of the first inner rail 6, which is bent twice at right angles in the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, with an inclined surface inclined to the side wall 3 of the washing chamber 2.

As is shown especially clearly in FIGS. 1 and 4, the outer rails 7, 9 are also designed to shield the respective inner rail 6, 8 from the entry of fluid, on a side facing the washing chamber 2 in the assembled state. In this case, a lower free end of a wall of the outer rail 7, 9 facing the washing chamber 2 is formed as a curved section bent out from a vertical and by a maximum of 90° in the direction of the fastening and shielding section 61, 81 of the respective inner rail 6, 8.

Such a curved section is sufficiently long to guide the rolling body 11 arranged in this region. At the same time, this curved section is not bent so far that washing fluid could accumulate in this curve which serves as a raceway for the rolling element 11, which would degrade the running property of the rolling element 11 running along this raceway. 

1. A pull-out guide for a washing appliance, in particular a dishwasher, for pulling a rack out of a washing chamber of the washing appliance, comprising a first inner rail which can be mounted on a side wall of the washing chamber, a first outer rail which is mounted on the first inner rail such that it can be displaced in a displacement direction, a second inner rail which is secured on the first outer rail, a second outer rail which is displaceably mounted on the second inner rail and on which the rack can be fastened, wherein the first inner rail, the first outer rail, the second inner rail and the second outer rail are arranged vertically one above the other, wherein the outer rails are designed in the form of hollow profiles with an accommodating region, which is partially open in the direction of the side wall and the respective inner rail and is provided for accommodating the respective inner rail wherein the outer surfaces of the inner rails and the inner surfaces of the outer rails, said inner surfaces being directed towards the inner rails, are in the form of run-off surfaces, for preventing washing fluid which is used during operation of the washing appliance from being deposited.
 2. A pull-out guide according to claim 1, wherein at least one rolling element cage with rolling elements mounted therein is arranged between one of the respective inner rails and one of the respective outer rails.
 3. A pull-out guide according to claim 1, wherein the inner rails have a raceway section and a fastening and shielding section.
 4. A pull-out guide according to claim 3, wherein a shielding section of the fastening and shielding section of at least one of the inner rails is formed at least partly as an inclined surface which is inclined towards the side wall of the washing chamber.
 5. A pull-out guide according to claim 1, wherein the outer rails are designed to shield the respective inner rail from entry of fluid on a side facing the washing chamber in the mounted state.
 6. A pull-out guide according to claim 5, wherein a lower free end of a wall of the outer rails facing the washing chamber is formed to be bent from a vertical by a maximum of 90° in the direction of the fastening and shielding section of the respective inner rail.
 7. A pull-out guide according to claim 1, wherein the fastening and shielding section of the first inner rail is designed as an orifice-free piece of sheet metal for shielding the raceway section of the first inner rail arranged vertically above.
 8. A pull-out guide according to claim 1, wherein the second inner rail is fixed, in particular welded, glued or screwed, to the first outer rail.
 9. A pull-out guide according to claim 1, wherein the length of the inner rails is between 50% and 75% of the length of the outer rails.
 10. A pull-out guide according to claim 1, wherein three rolling elements are arranged in the rolling element cage in a plane orthogonally to the displacement direction between one of the respective inner rails and one of the respective outer rails.
 11. A pull-out guide according to claim 10, wherein the raceway section of the inner rails comprises at least three raceways, in each of which one of the rolling elements is guided, wherein, as seen in the plane perpendicular to the displacement direction, the rolling elements are arranged in respective quadrants of the cavity formed by the inner rail and outer rail, wherein no rolling element is used in a lower quadrant close to the side wall of the washing chamber.
 12. A washing appliance, having at least one rack which is fixed to side walls of a washing chamber with a pull-out guide and with which the rack can be pulled out of the washing chamber and be inserted into said chamber, wherein the pull-out guide is formed according to claim
 1. 13. A washing appliance according to claim 12, wherein at least two spacers or spacings, on which the first inner rail is fixed, are arranged on respective side walls of the washing chamber.
 14. A washing appliance according to claim 13, wherein a passage for the discharge of washing fluid into a lower region of the washing chamber is provided between the spacers or spacings, the side wall and the first inner rail. 